Ms. Malena Zhang

Malena Zhang is the Co-Founder of NATL International. Built on the pillars of Nature, Art, Technology, and Lifestyle, NATL integrates high level global networks and focuses on investing in and incubating innovative companies with international impact. Through this approach, the firm has established a distinctive global footprint at the intersection of the creative economy and quality direct investments. A serial entrepreneur, Malena founded and successfully scaled a fashion and culture-focused media and public relations company in her early twenties, demonstrating exceptional vision and leadership. She remains highly active across creative industries and global markets and is widely recognized as a leading figure bridging art, technology, and finance through deep cross-sector integration. Malena is recognized by the Financial Times in the field of contemporary art as a key global influencer and a prominent cultural influencer, for her pivotal role in bridging Western and Eastern art worlds. She has played an instrumental role as an advisor and advocate for Art Basel for the last 17 years, contributing significantly to its strategic expansion in Asia and its broader impact on the global art ecosystem. Her work has had a lasting influence on the structural development and internationalization of the contemporary art market. An art collector for over twenty years, Malena is also a Co-Founder of the Shanghai Photography Museum and played a key role in the introduction and development of Photo Shanghai, making a significant contribution to the international visibility of contemporary Chinese photography. Malena holds a degree in Arts Management from New York University and completed the Executive Management Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the International Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and is a member of the Asian Art Committees of several leading institutions, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Harvard Art Museums. Beyond her commercial and cultural achievements, Malena has long been committed to philanthropy and education, with a particular focus on expanding opportunities for underserved youth. She served as Co-Chair of Teach for China, the New York Philharmonic’s Fun at the Phil, Film Aid, and Bard College’s US–China Music Institute (USCMI), advancing educational equity, cultural exchange, and sustainable social impact through long-term engagement and a global perspective.